Scooby Snacks!

I have a guilty pleasure.  Actually a lot of them, but close to the top of the list is :  Cheez Its.  The regular, good-oldfashioned, cheddar-y, crunchy, salty squares.  With a little dot in the middle.  And salt on the top.  Yeah, THOSE Cheez Its.

Living in the middle of nowhere means that a trip to a proper grocery store can be a long adventure.  In the meantime, I try to use what's on hand.  Finding myself with a Cheez Its craving and nothing in the cupboard, I found the expected plethora of copycat recipes on the Internet.  With bits and pieces from several recipes and a few fails along the way, I came up with a recipe for some pretty darn good Cheez Its, using all natural ingredients.  And here it is:

Homemade Cheez Its

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded

1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup all purpose flour

2 1/2 tablespoons ice water

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cheddar, butter, and salt until soft and combined. Add the flour and mix on low speed (the dough will be dry and pebbly). Slowly add the water and continue to mix as the dough forms a ball.  Pat the dough into a disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into two pieces and roll each into a very thin (1/8 inch or less) 10 x 12-inch rectangle. Using a fluted pastry cutter or sharp knife, cut the rectangles into 1-inch squares, then transfer to the baking sheets. Use the tip of a bamboo skewer (or something with similar diameter) to punch a hole into the center of each square.

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until puffed and browning at the edges. Watch carefully for the browning - it is easy to overcook at this point.  Immediately cool on a rack.  

Delish - and you know exactly what's in it.  Just think, this time next year I may have my own butter and cheese from our mama cows.  Now THAT'S homemade!